Rugby World Cup Final Preview

History will be made at Twickenham on Saturday whoever wins. No country has won the World Cup three times, and these great antipodean rivals have two triumphs.

It should be a gripping battle for the William Webb Ellis Cup at South West London's sporting coliseum too, rather than an autumnal stroll in the park for holders and clearcut World No.1s New Zealand.

Australia, who are 9-4 outsiders to lift the trophy and 5-2 to prevail in 80 minutes, are at full-strength and have seemingly cast aside their longstanding scrum demons.

Wallabies Backrowers David Pocock and Michael Hooper have been wonderful all tournament at the breakdown and at the rolling maul. And they got a first win over New Zealand in four years in August after two draws was the nearest they had got in the ten meetings that begun with the 2011 semi-final. Head coach Michael Cheika and his Gold and Green-clad squad now know they can slay the mighty All Blacks beast.

However, New Zealand should still prevail to become the first side to defend their crown (4-11 to do so and 4-9 to do so without the need of extra-time) and cement the places of Richie McCaw and Dan Carter in the pantheon of the game’s legends.

On Sunday, there was an element of gift-wrapped early and late supremacy over Argentina for Australia whereas last Saturday the All Blacks were stretched from start to finish by both South Africa and the monsoon-like conditions. And while arguably getting the better of the officiating too, the Kiwis showed their steel in overcoming a half-time deficit and then stealing a late lineout throw aimed at Springbok great Victor Matfield to preserve their lead.

The Wallabies' wobble against Scotland in the quarter-final was also more pronounced than New Zealand's troubles against Argentina in their pool opener. And while the Aussies stunned England and stonewalled Wales in the group stage, England's heads were already in a spin because of their loss to the Dragons and Wales suffered from a bout of 'white line fever'.

New Zealand have gone from doing no more than necessary in their last three Pool C games to destroying France in their Cardiff quarter-final with an amazing all-round effort and back to focused, controlled aggression against South Africa.

The Wallabies with a handicap start of six is tempting, and extra-time like in 1995 and 2003 is a runner but the All Blacks to win by a margin of between one and 12 points at 13-8 still appears the best result-orientated bet.

There won't have been any talk of wide-margin wins in the Kiwi camp all week even though they trust their skills to come good under pressure. The talk will have been about trying to minimise penalties for leaving ball-carriers isolated and trying to eliminate indiscipline such as Jerome Kaino's yellow card for kicking the ball into touch from an offside position against South Africa.

And the talk will have been about a tough encounter like their 8-7 win over France in the Auckland final four years rather than the 20-6 semi-final success over a fatigued and frazzled Wallabies outfit. They will be expecting this Australia's equally buzzing backline to prosper if they kick wastefully, turn over ball or allow the Aussie set-piece to function.

In the seven previous finals, points and tries have tended to be few and far between. In 1987 New Zealand beat France 29-9 (four tries) and in 1999 Australia beat Les Bleus 35-12 (three tries) but each of the five other finals contained 29 points or less and two or fewer tries.

All Blacks inside centre Ma'a Nonu. at 4-1, has been breaking the gainline relentlessly this tournament and he has 10 tries in 23 outings against Australia. Two of All Blacks Hooker Dane Coles" five Test tries in the last year have come against Australia. And 13-2 Coles has been hanging around out wide as a supplementary winger all tournament.

While if the game has broken up completely or still needs a decisive moment then you can guarantee that 5-1 Sonny Bill Williams will be off the All Blacks' bench and at the heart of the action. His arrival was the catalyst for their beating of Argentina with his one-handed offloads and on the shoulder line-running, and he looks primed for a prize cameo.